1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an information processing device to which data can be input by the use of a rotary body.
2. Technical Background
Conventionally, as an input device such as a mode switching device and a time correction device of a small-sized instrument, e.g., a wristwatch, a device is used having a rotary bezel 1 as shown in FIG. 1. In the device, a mechanical switch is driven by operation of the rotary bezel 1. For-example, a pin is inserted in the case body of the wristwatch. When the user rotates the rotary bezel 1 to move or shift the pin, the pin presses one of several circuit springs, so as to switch the currently used circuit with a new one. Therefore, the mode is switched.
Further, in a desk top tape printing device or the like, a rotary character input device is used which has a rotary switch.
However, in order to provide as many as several dozen circuits for, e.g., character input, in the above-described input device having the mechanical switch, the structure thereof becomes complicated and, therefore, the size must be enlarged. Accordingly, it has been impossible to mount the input device on a small-sized portable information device or the like, such as a wristwatch. Moreover, since a part of the mechanical switch mechanism is exposed to the outside of the wristwatch, there is a problem in that water proofing may be insufficient.
In view of the above, there is a device in which a gear mechanism is used to transmit rotation of the rotary bezel to an internal ring for rotating the internal ring. In the device, a lower-surface pattern of the internal ring is read by a sensor, and the mode is selected on the basis of the result. In this device, it is possible to improve the water proofing. However, there are drawbacks: the mechanism is complicated and the device is large-sized.
Furthermore, there are no small-sized and thin rotary character input devices, which can be mounted on a small-sized information processing device, such as a wristwatch-type device.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an information processing device in which a plurality of data can be input while the device can be readily made small and thin, and which is excellent in operability and water proofing.
In an aspect of the present invention, an information processing device comprises a support body, a rotary body arranged on the support body and rotatable by manual operation of a user, a detection sensor mechanism provided on the support body for detecting a rotational angle and a rotational direction of the rotary body, signal generating means for generating a signal on the basis of the rotational angle and the rotational direction which are detected by the detection sensor mechanism, and a display device for displaying data corresponding to the signal which is generated by the signal generating means.